THE fourth year of Jehoiakim” leads us back to verses 1 to 8 of chapter 36. It was then that God had bidden Jeremiah to put in writing all that He had told him, and the prophet had called upon Baruch, a scribe, to do the work at his dictation. The realization of the bitter cup which Judah would have to drink, with a deepening sense of the nation’s sins as viewed by a holy God, overcame Baruch with grief as he wrote down what Jeremiah told him. He could foresee the breaking up of his own home-ties and everything that a godly Israelite counted dear—a hard thing to bear, as anyone would agree, but we must remember, too, that not until the proclamation of the gospel of the grace of God, following the atoning death of Christ, was peace with God known, or the security of the believer. Baruch could hope for God’s mercy, but lacked the certainty of it; that was reserved until the death of Christ and His resurrection and exaltation as Man to the right hand of God (Acts 2). Well might he then be weary with his sighing, finding no rest.
Verse 5: “Seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not”, is a word as appropriate for the believer now as then. The world in which. Baruch lived was about to meet its judgment—not finally, of course, but enough to put an end to all that Judah meant as a kingdom; the world that now is, is 2500 years near the last and utterly unsparing judgment, which cannot now be far off. Ere the thunders of divine wrath begin to sound, all that are Christ’s will be gathered in the ‘Father’s house above, with their Lord; and His word, which we believe is just now speaking afresh to the hearts of His own, is, “Surely I come quickly!” May it be ours to look for Him with increasing desire, while faithfully performing our daily tasks.
Chapter 46 is the first of a series of prophecies of judgment to come on 1ridab’s neighbors. In turn they pass before the vision of God: Egypt, Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, Elam, Babylon.
Since God’s earthly people must feel His righteous indignation, those who looked on could not expect to escape the chastisement they richly deserved. He deals with those who hear His name first, because of that very fact of relationship, real or only professed, but it is a principle plainly revealed in the Word of God that His judgments, once begun, shall go on until the world is judged. We have this shown in Isaiah, and here in Jeremiah; notably is it seen in the Revelation, chapters 2 and 3 dealing with the professors of Christ’s name, and the remainder of the book with the world. Other examples might be cited, but we only mention the word in 1 Peter 4:17, 1817For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? (1 Peter 4:17‑18).
The judgments pronounced on Egypt begin with the battle at the head of navigation on the Euphrates, Carchemish, occurring when Nebuchadnezzar had led his father’s army there, and southward to besiege Jerusalem. This battle is not mentioned in the historical books of the Old Testament, as it did not directly concern God’s earthly people, but the occasion is referred to in 2 Kings 21:11Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzi-bah. (2 Kings 21:1); 2 Chron. 36:6, 76Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon. 7Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the Lord to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon. (2 Chronicles 36:6‑7) and Dan. 1:1, 21In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. (Daniel 1:1‑2).
“Brigandines”, verse 4, were coats of mail. In verse 9, the peoples mentioned were all Africans, joined with Egypt in a vain effort to crush the young and aggressive kingdom of Babylonia.
Verse 10: They did not know it, but God had ordered this conflict for the punishment of Egypt because of idolatry and oppression.
Verses 13 to 26 have to do with the further humiliation of Egypt which followed the migration of all that were left of Judah to that land, as we have seen in chapter 43. In verse 23, locusts are meant rather than grasshoppers, and in verse 25, “the Multitude of No” as the marginal note tells, is properly “Amon of No,”—an Egyptian idol at No (Thebes).
Verses 27 and 28 speak a precious, assuring word to Jacob and Israel— two names of the 12 tribes, “Jacob” being the reminder of their character by nature, and “Israel” of what they shall be when purified by God’s correction of them with judgment. The last lines are better translated “but I will not make a full end of thee, but I will correct thee with judgment, and I will not hold thee altogether guiltless.”
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